


// WHEREVER YOU ARE //

by easykid



Category: Bastille (Band)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Brainwashing, Character Death, M/M, Tobacco use, WWCOMMS, sorta?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 06:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11914743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/easykid/pseuds/easykid
Summary: WWCOMMS - a corrupt multimedia corporation that seeks to overwrite the idea of free will, stealing us from the ones we love, using our bodies as tools, and brainwashing those powerless to resist.At least, that's what we call them. But they prefer a different definition.





	// WHEREVER YOU ARE //

WWCOMMS - a corrupt multimedia corporation that seeks to overwrite the idea of free will, stealing us from the ones we love, using our bodies as tools, and brainwashing those powerless to resist.

  
At least, that's what we call them. But they prefer a different definition.  
  
'Wild World Communications! Making the world a better place, one change at a time! Here for you wherever you are!”   
  
If by change you meant taking anyone who rebelled against you away from anyone they'd ever cared for and brainwashing their minds ‘till they were nothing more than mindless machines, then sure, one change at a time.   
  
I knew what they did, knew how they did it and how they got away with it, I just never thought it would happen to me, to the one I cared for the most. I made the mistake of thinking we were immune to their attacks, made the mistake of putting ourselves out there without any means of a backup if things went sideways.  
  
And sideways they did, they took him from us, god knows where he is now, but I'll be damned if I'm not gonna get him back and fix this god forsaken mess.   
  
  
"Today's the day, Kyle."  
  
Yeah. Today's the day.  
  
_I'm coming, Dan._   
  
  
"So today's the day, aye?" The drummer and shortest of the bunch, Woody, piped up upon seeing Kyle shuffle out of his room and into the dining room of an abandoned apartment they'd broken into. There weren't many sane people left in the world, anyone who had lived in the place before them had been taken, it’d have been a shame to leave the home to rot.   
  
Instead, it now served as an HQ of sorts. Cracked PCs were set up here and there upon chipped desks among the scattered energy drinks that occasionally clanked to the floor, tossed about by Woody, who was in charge of hacking the WWCOMMS database, tapping into the list of agents that served them, looking for any indication that Dan, their frontman, may still be in there.   
  
And oh, he was there alright, served as the corporation’s head agent, he practically controlled all of them now, all of the people he once fought to protect.   
  
_My god, Dan, what have you become?_ Kyle had thought when the news was broken, his head filled with worry upon wondering just what they'd done to him.   
  
Would he even want to come back? That thought haunted him more than any other.   
  
Dan was the leader of their little four-man rebel group, fighting back against the corporation with crisis-inducing words and upbeat tunes that lifted spirits and filled other’s hearts with determination. Dan had a voice like no other, using it to manipulate others into fighting back, into doing the right thing.   
  
Their newly recruited bassist, Will, was an ex agent, ordered by the corporation to take the band out, but Dan saw something in him that he didn't see in the other agents. He knew he had a life before he was brainwashed, that he used to be somebody. Because of this, he took him in, attempting to get his memory back and failing in one way but succeeding in another. Will found himself developing interests in things, emotions found their way into his speech, he discovered new talents, and, eventually, he ended up giving himself a name. For the first time that he could remember, he felt alive. And so he stayed, leaving the corporation and his past behind, building himself a life of his own.   
  
That had been the last straw, Kyle imagined, for that was the last night Dan was seen by anyone. They were afraid of what he could do, the power that he held over them, and the people that followed him had only gotten bigger since they began. Because of this, they sent out their top agent to take him for themselves, to brainwash him and use his voice to motivate others in the corporation for all the wrong reasons.   
  
Kyle knew there was no way they'd succeed in that, he figured Dan being one of their top agents was all an act, merely pretending to be brainwashed to get more intel on WWCOMMS, and eventually, being able to shut them down. Dan was smart, there was no way he'd let them get to him like that.   
  
But Dan had spent enough time in that hole, the band had agreed. And so, today was the day.   
  
"Today's the day." Kyle nodded to Woody, pulling up a chair to sit beside him and peer over to the monitor he'd been slaving away on.   
  
"Any new intel?" 

  
"Yeah, but you're not gonna like it."    
  
"Well? What is it?"   
  


"We — we've gained suspicion that Dan might not... It might not be an act, Kyle. He's been in there for a long time, and — Well, we've got some footage of him."    
  


"... Show me."    
  
Woody looked at Kyle hesitantly, typing in commands slower than usual, as if waiting for Kyle to change his mind. Upon accepting that he wouldn't, he entered the command, bringing up the security camera footage from a few days ago.    
  
At first, the footage was nothing but an empty hallway, static occasionally covering the screen, as if attempting to submerge any agent that passed through the hall in it, leaving them untraceable.    
  
"They knew we'd try hacking their cameras, they tried to cover anyone up in the static, but — " Woody typed in a few commands, speeding up the footage and pausing it to land on a single frame that was left uncovered, revealing a pale man in a white, almost mechanic-esque jumpsuit, on the left side of the chest, the WWCOMMS logo was imprinted, three interlocked triangles, representing unity and dependency, similar to the logo they had created for their band.    
  
The group decided to call their band Bastille, after Dan's birthday. It was a simple explanation, but the symbol of the lone triangle meant so much more; a disrespect to the corporation, you could say, representing freedom and independence. Rebellion.

  
And there Dan was, wearing the logo he had despised so much for so many years. Had he really become one of them?  
  
_No_ , Kyle thought, _he wouldn't have let it come to that._ _  
__  
_ "It's still him, he's still himself, I know it. There's no way he'd have let them get that close. He's better than that.” He'd insisted, eyes full of determination and rage at WWCOMMS what they had done – no – what they'd _tried_ to do.   
  
"Whatever you say, Kyle." Woody sighed hopelessly, this infiltration was beginning to seem like a big waste of time to him, he’d always had a hard time believing Dan was still the same – or even _alive_ – after all those months kept up all alone in that dump. Still, though, for Kyle, he'd agreed to help, even if it meant their efforts were to be most likely fruitless.   
  
"Has Will made it in yet?" Kyle piped in, leaning himself over the top of Woody’s computer chair, jittery movements practically shaking him in his seat. 

 

"Yeah, I’ve got him on mic now." Woody replied, raising a brow in Kyle's direction and eyeing him expectantly. Kyle seemed to get the hint, removing his hands from the backrest and settling on shoving them into his pockets instead, shifting himself closer to the monitor as he spoke. 

  
"Will? What's going on in there? Have you found him? Is he ok?"    
  
"One question at a time, Kyle, I'm stressed enough as it is." Will whispered over his earpiece, trying to stay as quiet and as invisible as he could in the brightly lit white hallway he stood in. “I was just an agent, I don't know where they keep the higher ups, it's gonna take some time.” 

  
Will had managed to snag a jumpsuit from an unsuspecting agent, swiftly knocking him unconscious and slipping the uniform off of him and onto himself. He'd go unnoticed so long as he kept his head down and his tinted sunglasses on.    
  
Will caught sight of an agent heading into an elevator and followed closely behind, hoping it would lead him closer to the man that had once saved him from this hell.   
  
Will quietly shuffled into the elevator beside the agent, avoiding all eye contact with him to avoid suspicion. He didn't avoid it for long, however, as the agent seemed to peak interest in him, eyeing him up and down blankly, as if anticipating for him to say something.    
  
He had hoped he would never have to say it again, but if it meant getting Dan back, he would.    
  
"Unit 10295 reporting. Is there anything I may assist you with?" He spoke flatly, a blank expression glued to his face and hands to his sides.   
  
That had seemed to satisfy the agent, no response following as they rode the elevator in silence. Finally, the agent left at his designated floor. Will remained, waiting for the agent to disappear out of sight before rapidly mashing the 'Close doors' button on the elevator.    
  
Will breathed a sigh of relief, pressing his back to the cold wall of the lift, pressing his finger to the earpiece to speak to the remainder of the band.   
  
"Alright, I'm in the elevator, which floor did you last see him on?"   
  


"Floor 157." Woody spoke back.    
  


"On it."   
  
Will shakily pressed the button leading to said floor. If an agent on the first floor had been suspicious of him, what would the others on floor 157 be like?  
  
_Do it for Dan_ , Will told himself. _You wouldn't even be here if not for him._   
  
  


_ Yeah, for Dan _ .    
  
  
After what had seemed like hours, the doors to the selected floor had finally opened, a large, empty white room coming into vision as the steel doors slid to the side.    
  
Where the hell was everyone?   
  
"Alright, I’m here but… I don't see anyone. Which direction was he going in the footage?"   
  


"On your left." Woody responded, "Take it easy, Will, don't take any risks, if you feel like you're in danger, pull out. We don't want to lose any others."   
  


"Copy that."    
  
Will took another deep breath, shakily moving one foot in front of the other down the hall to the left that seemed to drag on for miles, the WWCOMMS logo occasionally appearing once every corner or so.    
  
Will's feet had started to hurt by the time he reached the end of the hallway, coming across a small, windowless room, decorated with a small, white bed with white sheets in one corner, a white desk and chair in the other with a white computer monitor atop of it, the desktop decorated with the company's logo as the background.

  
And in the final corner? Dan Smith himself.    
  
"My god." Will whispered, hardly believing he was there despite the footage they'd shown him prior to the infiltration. He’d settled on convincing himself that everyone had just gone crazy from the lack of the upbeat attitude Dan used to add to the group, for he thought for sure they’d’ve disposed of him after what he’d done by now.

  
This must've been where they’d kept him all that time, but why here? Why not with the rest of them?    
  
Will wasn't sure if it was whether Dan had heard him, or if he already knew he was there, but he turned around and looked right at him, and upon seeing his face, Will knew the damage had already been done.    
  
Will felt tears sting at the corners of his eyes, taking a hand to cover his mouth as he avoided his gaze.

  
Dan stared at him blankly, looking behind him then to the left and the right, before looking at Will again.    
  
"Who are you talking to?"    
  
  
God, they really did get to him.   
  
"Dan it's — it's me! Don't you remember me? You saved me from them! From — "   
  


"There is no unit registered under the name, ‘Dan’, please enter a valid unit name and try again."   
  


"What — ? That's  _ your _ name, Dan! Don't you remember your name?" Will forced a laugh, praying this was all part of some sick joke Dan was playing on him and that he'd laugh along with him.

 

"I do.” No laugh followed, but the answer was a small comfort. 

 

"Good! Then — "   
  


"I am your Directory Assistance Network. Is there anything I may assist you with?" 

  
Will felt his heart shatter, fighting the urge to break down in front of his saviour. Living the life he did in WWCOMMS was difficult, but to see that Dan was now living it himself… It was a hard truth; one that shot its way through his chest and stung more than a bullet ever could.    
  
Will didn't remember his past life before WWCOMMS, but he knew his name, knew his interests. He was a prototype, one of the first, so he didn't have to worry much about being completely under control by them. 

  
But Dan appeared to be a special case, WWCOMMS’ special project, it seemed they wanted to see how far they could go;  how badly they could break him. And as much as it pained Will to think about it, it looked like they'd done more damage than they'd originally anticipated. 

  
Will wiped away the tears that were now streaming down his cheeks, and tuned back into the band’s earpieces.    
  
"It's me. I've found him."    
  


"Great!” A sigh of relief from Kyle could be heard in the background as Woody gave a reply. “How's he looking?"   
  


"He's — you'll have to see for yourself."    
Will said simply, disconnecting himself for the time being as he attempted to collect his thoughts, considering ways to deliver the news to the rest of the group, and most of all, to  _ Kyle _ . 

 

"Who are you talking to — " Dan had tried to ask again, clearly oblivious to what was happening.    
  
"Never mind that, I need you to come with me. You're — We need you for a special task." Will interrupted, walking over to Dan and grabbing his wrist to lead him down the hall.    
  
"Where are you taking me?" Dan protested, not sure what was going on but finding it nonetheless difficult to stop his feet from moving on their own accord.    
  
"Home."   
  
\-----   
  


"In here." Will gestured to the elevator and Dan surprisingly obeyed, quietly stepping into the elevator and awaiting further instructions.   
  
"Should I alert the agency for confirmation?" Dan piped up, still unsure about what was going on.   
  
" _ No! _ No. I've already received confirmation, we're free to leave." Will assured, his fingers shaking more than ever as he pushed the button leading to the first floor. After a minute of silence as they descended, Will cleared his throat and pulled out an extra pair of sunglasses out of his uniform pocket.   
  
"Put these on." Will handed the pair to Dan, to which Dan eyed him blankly.   
  
"How?"   
  


"... What?"   
  


"How?"    
  
Will sighed. He didn't even know how to put on some damn sunglasses? What the hell did they  _ do  _ to him? Will opened the glasses for him and walked in front of him to place them over his eyes.    
  
Dan gave a confused look upon having the glasses placed on him, looking from side to side then up and down.    
  
"It is difficult to see now."   
  


"You can take them off later, just keep them on until I say so." Will sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. 

 

"As you wish."    
  
Upon reaching the first floor, Will signalled for Dan to come closer.    
  
"Stay low and keep quiet. Nobody can see you leave this place, understood?"   
  


"Understood." Dan replied after a short moment, something in his mind stopping him from questioning the older man. 

  
With a quick flick of his head, Dan followed Will as they slid through each hallway, occasionally pausing to hide behind a wall or table to remain unseen by any lingering agents that passed them by.    
  
A few minutes of repetition and they had reached the entrance of the large corporation, trees and grass and some fucking  _ colour _ finally coming into view.    
  
It had only been about an hour, and Will had already began to miss it, he wondered how Dan would feel upon seeing it again, or if he would feel at all.    
  
"Listen carefully. Once we exit these doors, you run like hell. Don't look back, don't stop, don't hesitate. Just follow me. Understand?" Will looked at Dan, hoping he could see the serious expression he wore through the tinted glasses.   
  
"Yes."  Was all Dan had said in return, his dull, blank expression not faltering for even a moment despite the intense situation they were in.    
  
"Good. On the count of three." Will held up a hand, beginning to count on his fingers.    
  
One...   
  
Two…

 

Three.

 

"Go, go, go, go!" He’d whispered loud enough to be a low yelp, the pounding in his chest making it far too difficult to keep himself quiet.    
  
The two began to run towards the exit, Will tapping back into his earpiece as they neared the exit.    
  
"I'm on my way out! Open the door, Woody!" Will practically screamed, fear overcoming him as some of the agents began to take notice.    
  
"On it!" Woody replied back, quickly typing in commands to get the door to open without clearance.    
  
Much to their luck, the door opened just in time for them to run out without much of a pause, and closing before any of the  other agents could manage to follow.    
  
"To the car! Go!" Will pointed to the vehicle parked on the sidewalk outside of the building and yelled over to Dan who quickly followed beside him, feeling his own heart beat quicken upon realizing that this may not be an actual mission.    
  
Dan followed anyway, still finding it difficult to stop his body from pushing itself forward.  _ Perhaps he was malfunctioning? _

  
A faint sound of sirens sounded from the building as they got into the beaten up Impala and sped off, some agents running out to try to retrieve the two but to no avail. Dan watched out the back window the entire time, watched the WWCOMMS building get smaller and smaller the further they drove, eventually fading away into the fog that covered the lower skies, feeling his stomach sink with every passing second that they drove as he struggled to accept his current fate. 

  
This definitely wasn't a mission.    
  
\-----

 

"Come on, relax. Come on, relax. Come on, relax." Dan repeated the phrase every 5 minutes like clockwork, those few words seeming to be the only ones he knew to describe how he was feeling while watching Will drive them further and further from the agency.    
  
"You alright back there?" Will asked, knowing full well that he wasn't, even if his expressionless face didn't show it.     
  
"No." Dan replied simply, not looking away from the back window for even a moment.    
  
Will sighed at that, Dan definitely wasn't Dan anymore, was there even a point in bringing him back if he didn't want to go in the first place? A few minutes of silence passed before he tuned into the group's comm line.    
  
"Me again. We're on our way."    
  
"Will. Is he — ?" Woody had tried to pry the answer out of him, but Will took the earpiece out of his ear before he got the chance, tossing it out of the window he had open to dispose of the ashes of a cigarette he'd lit.    
  
Will never smoked. But after everything that happened, he needed something to numb the pain.    
  
"Those will damage your lungs." The blank voice from the back of the car stated.    
  
Will laughed bitterly at that, "You used to do it too, you know."    
  
"I have no memory of such things."    
  
"Yeah. I figured you didn't."    
  
"I'm not sure I understa — "   
  
"Forget it." Will interrupted, pulling into the parking garage of their apartment complex and opening the car door. He took a moment to step out and distinguish the cigarette on the ground with the heel of his foot, walking over to the back seat door and opening it, signalling Dan to step out. "We're here."    
  
Dan blinked at Will, still sitting in the car as Will waited for him to get up. "Here?" He repeated.    
  
"Home." Will defined, the word full of venom and regret due to current circumstances.    
  
After a long pause of Dan still not moving, Will scoffed and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him out and making him stand beside the car, before leading him through to the entrance in the garage and into the neglected elevator that would lead them to the top floor where the group awaited their return.    
  
The stairs were blocked by furniture, inaccessible by any agents that tried to steal any other members away in the night, the elevator being the only form of transportation to their base that Woody had hacked the controls of both the buttons and the cameras inside.    
  
Will looked into the camera that slowly panned over to them once inside, nothing but anger and remorse filling his face as he did so.    
  
It took a few moments for the elevator to begin to ascend, uncertainty filling Woody's mind as he hesitantly typed in the commands through his computer, giving a sad look to Kyle who was practically chewing his fingers off at the sight of Dan on the black and white camera, sunglasses still covering his face.    
  
Will rubbed at his temples as they got closer and closer to their apartment, fearing what would follow the second Kyle saw the state his lover was in.    
  
_ God, what was he going to tell him? _   
  
  
After what felt like an eternity to Will, the doors of the elevator opened, revealing Woody and Kyle who stood anxiously, fearing the worst.   
  
Will had hoped they hadn't been waiting, and were instead still inside their apartment, it would have at least given him a few moments to think up something to say.   
  
But here they were, staring right at him, then to Dan, then to him again, awaiting some sort of explanation. Will took yet another deep breath, feeling like he'd taken at least a thousand in the past hour, and tried to give them something,  _ anything _ .    
  
"Um..." Was all that he could get out before the tears started flowing. He felt like a complete failure, bringing Dan back in this condition. All he'd wanted was for  things to be the way they were again, but they weren't, and he'd began to accept they never would be again. Without another word, Will walked past the two younger members and stepped into their apartment, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving Kyle and Woody to piece things together themselves. 

  
Dan eyed the two boys up and down through the tinted glasses before he spoke.    
  
"Who are you?"    
  
The two went through a million different emotions in a short amount of seconds upon hearing him, the lack of emotion, the audible confusion in his voice, joy and relief nowhere to be heard. 

 

Kyle didn't know what to say, shock taking over any sensible reaction that should have occurred upon his own boyfriend not knowing who he was. Was he...? Did they…? Kyle didn't want to think about it, he had to find out himself.   
  
"Dan?" Was all he managed to get out, voice starting to shake as he did so.   
  
"Who is Dan?" He spoke in reply, eyebrows furrowing slightly in annoyance at the name they had all seemed to assign to him.   
  
Kyle felt his heart shatter, fighting back the urge to curl up into a ball and just cry. Cry over what they'd done to him, what they'd done to their time together, what he'd never get to have with Dan again.   
  
Woody looked at Kyle, sorrow filled in his eyes, before reaching out a hand to see if he was ok but having it quickly waved off by Kyle.   
  
Kyle rubbed at the tears that stung at his eyes, composing himself just enough to ask one final question of his lover. Or what was left of him.   
  
"Can— can you tell me your name?" He'd sobbed out, fearing the worst.   
  
Dan paused for a moment, before nodding and moving to stand in an almost army-like stance, stiff as a board as he introduced himself.   
  
"I am your Directory Assistance Network," He began, reaching up to his face to take off the sunglasses and reveal his face to the two, once ocean coloured eyes now wiped of any colour, a pale, milky tint now replacing them, dark pupils now practically a black hole; empty, lifeless. His once full and fluffy hair now long dead, flat and pale, strands of white poking through faded browns, hinting at the stress he'd been in before they changed him, just how far they’d went with him. His cheeks, once littered with freckles, now a blank canvas; empty, much like himself. Heavy circles were formed under his eyes, showing how little sleep they'd given him. Even in this state, the smile lines Kyle had adored so much mutated into lines of sorrow and fear. His voice may not have shown it, but his face said it all. He didn't go down without a fight, or without great pain.   
  
Kyle could hardly bring himself to look at him, each time he did a new kind of pain piercing it's way into his heart. He'd blamed himself for what happened, he was careless, he should've protected him, shouldn’t have been so careless, should've taken more precautions. Maybe if they'd found him just a little bit sooner things would've been different, maybe the one he loved would’ve be here to greet him, to hold him, to kiss him. Not this— this _shell_ of what once was, face wiped of whatever memories their time together had given it.   
  
Kyle didn't want to accept it, his body moved on its own, practically throwing himself into Dan, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and just holding him, loud sobs erupting from his throat, unable to hold them back anymore, burying his face in the crook of his once lover’s pale neck, hoping somehow it would bring him back, even if it was just a small part of him.   
  
Dan didn't make a move to stop him, even if his mind told him to, his body told him otherwise. He didn't hold him, didn't even comfort him, but he Kyle let hold him, even if he wasn't sure why.   
  
_Perhaps he really was malfunctioning._   
  
After a few moments of silence, apart from the sniffles and whines that tore their way from Kyle's chest, Dan continued, dead eyes looking right at Woody who stood in disbelief.   
  
"Is there something I may assist you with?"   
  
  
  
"You can't do this, Dan! You can't do this to _me_! You’d never let them! You told me you wouldn't let them! You're stronger than them! God, _please!_ ” Kyle pleaded through the tears, pounding the side of his fist against the older man's chest; a futile attempt to get him to wake up, to snap him out of whatever trance they’d put him in.   
  
Dan eyed Kyle curiously, not used to such a display of emotion, not anymore. He figured something was wrong, he just didn't know how to handle it correctly. Instead of holding Kyle close and telling him everything would be alright like he usually did, he did something completely different.   
  
"If you have any complaints, please file a report and submit it to your assigned ward's secretary." Was all he could think of, looking at Kyle with cold, empty eyes that were now alien to him.   
  
Kyle sobbed harder at that, prying himself away from the body of who once inhabited it. He was a different man, if you could even call him that now, but he certainly wasn't Dan anymore, Kyle wasn't sure what to do except mourn over him, helplessness overtaking him the same way it did the day Dan was taken away, but worse, much, much worse, knowing that now, there was nothing he could do.   
  
Kyle took a few steps back from Dan, taking a moment to wipe the tears from his eyes the best he could. Dan was gone, and he took Kyle's heart with him. It was difficult for him to feel anything but hatred now, and much like Dan, numbness overcame his mind more than anything else, taking over any sensible thing his mind was telling him to do, to try to fix things even if they appeared impossible. Perhaps he became a machine in that moment, too, for he never expected what he’d chosen to do instead.

  
Slowly, Kyle took a shaky hand and stuck it into his back pocket, pulling out the small revolver he kept in case his worst fears became a reality, in case of times like this. With a heavy hand, he raised the barrel of the gun to Dan's forehead, the tip of it gently pressed against his skin. No amount of rubbing would've been able to stop the tears this time, for he knew what he had to do, at least, what he thought he had to do.   
  
He couldn't watch anymore, couldn't watch Dan's body and mind manipulated this way, and he couldn't watch what was to follow. So he closed his eyes, knowing that the ones staring back at him would never open again, would never crinkle up in a smile the way they used to, never look at Kyle with such a love the way they used to, the way _he_ used to.   
  
Kyle's fingers felt like cement, his body desperately holding him back, begging him not to pull the trigger but his mind telling him otherwise. _It was the right thing to do_ , he told himself, _it would be for the best, Dan would be free._ Kyle choked out a few more cries, turning his head to the side to look away, even if his eyes were already closed. With a stiff thumb, he slowly cranked the hammer of the revolver back, the click that followed indicating that it was ready to fire and shatter what was left of his heart. Kyle took a gasp of air, finding his lungs almost as heavy as the arm that held the gun to his lover's head.   
  
As if it wasn't enough, Kyle took the other arm to cover a hand over his eyes, letting another gasp of air into his lungs, one gasp turning into two, then three, then four. Suddenly he couldn't keep track of how many times he'd gasped for air, finding it difficult to stop the second his finger curled around the trigger.   
  
_Just one shot,_ he thought, _one shot and he'll be free._ _Then one more, and he'd be free too, they'd be together again._ With one final breath of air, Kyle counted down the seconds.   
  
One...  
  


Two...   
  


Three.

  
_"I love you, Dan. I'm sorry."_   
  
One shot.   
  
  
\-----

 

  
One shot.   
  
And one shot only, sounding its way throughout the apartment hallway.    
  
No thud followed, no blood sprayed on the worn carpets or the walls that peeled around them. Only silence and the feeling of a hand wrapped around Kyle's wrist.    
  
Kyle pried open an eye, watching through his fingers to see if he'd really just killed the man he loved.    
  
_ He didn't _ .    
  
He glanced around the room, his senses faded and hazy, ears ringing from the gun firing. His eyes finally came to rest on the hand that held the gun, and the other hand that gripped his wrist, pointing the barrel to the side. Kyle glanced over, finding that the hand belonged to Woody, who was currently eyeballing Dan in shock. Kyle turned his head in Woody's direction, taking in the sight before him.    
  
There Dan stood.  _ Dan _ . Blue eyes and all, wide in fear and full of tears, body stiff as a board as he shook, fearing that Kyle would fire another shot, as if the one that had grazed the side of his ear and landed into the wall beside him wasn't enough.    
  
Woody began to shake as well, moving a hand to cover his mouth as he let out a whine of disbelief, tears beginning to flow as he looked back at Kyle.    
  
Kyle could hardly believe his eyes, staring deep into the blue eyes he once thought he'd never see again as they eyed him back in fear, begging him to put the gun down. “... Kyle?”

  
Those eyes were always so easy to read, Kyle knew what they told him, letting his hand fall limp as the gun clattered to the ground, frantically backing away from it, realizing what would have happened, what he would have done if not for the hand around his wrist.    
  
Kyle let out another sob, both in relief and fear as to how Dan would react to what he tried to do. Would he leave? Would he still love him? Did he even understand why he tried to do it?    
  
"My god." Was all Kyle could muster, still finding it hard to believe that he was here, right in front of him. "Dan, I — "    
  
Before he could finish, Dan had left him once more, blue eyes fading to white again as the tremors running throughout his body came to a stop. Just like that, he’d left him again. 

  
Kyle's eyes widened in fear, rushing over to Dan and grabbing him by the shoulders, shaking him violently. He'd tried everything to get him back, smacking him on the cheek, prying his eyes wider and gazing into them, searching for that blue, that life he saw a few seconds before, even picking the revolver up off the floor and pointing it at him, then at himself, but to no avail.    
  
Kyle let out another sob, banging his fist against Dan's chest, crying into him once more, begging him to come back to him, to give him a chance to say he loved him before he left, to say that he was sorry.    
  
Kyle cried, but in the midst of it all, he began to smile. He smiled because he knew that there was a chance, however small,  that he could bring Dan back, it was only a matter of figuring out how now. 

  
Dan was gone, but not entirely. Kyle knew that now, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try and get him back. 

 

"Kyle... did you just see what — " Woody started, not quite sure if he had seen correctly himself. 

 

"Yeah. Yeah! I saw!"   
  


"So we can — ?"   
  


"Yeah, we can.” Kyle smiled, pulling away from Dan to run over to Woody and yank him into a tight hug, the two of them ecstatic at their realization, already beginning to ponder ideas of what to try first.    
  
Kyle breathed a sigh of relief, laughing to himself and with Woody, before practically skipping over to Dan and taking him by the wrist, leading him into their apartment.   
  
"Will!" He called, swinging the door open and sitting Dan on the couch as he eyed him curiously in return. "Get the photo albums out!" He continued, plopping himself down next to the WWCOMMS agent, taking both of his cold hands in his and staring into those pale white eyes. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."    
  
He was going to get the colour back in those eyes if it was the last thing he did.    
  


\-----   
  
Kyle's hands scrambled around in the pile of photos he had Will dump into his lap, flipping through each one and holding them up to a very confused Dan who watched him with questioning eyes.   
  
"Do you remember this?" Kyle would ask   
  
"No." To which Dan would reply, not really seeing the point in all of this.    
  
"How about this one?" Kyle would reply in return, continuing the same array of questions for hours on end until he ran out of photos, sighing frustratedly before throwing himself back to lay on the couch, finding himself at a loss of what to try next. 

  
"... You took all of these, y'know. Here — " Kyle reached over to the coffee table beside them, picking up a polaroid camera and handing it to him. "Try taking a photo."    
  
Dan eyed the strange object in his hands, turning it over to look into the lens, to which Kyle pressed down the shutter button and snapped a picture of him, startling the older man.    
  
"What did you just do?" Dan asked, rubbing the black dots that appeared in his eyes after the flash away.

  
"I took a picture of you." Kyle stated, waiting for the camera to print out the photo before shaking it lightly, bringing the image into view and showing it to him.   
  
Dan eyed the photo doubtfully, not fully understanding what Kyle had done, nor who the man in the photo was as he took it in his hands.   
  
"Who is this?" He asked.   
  
"This is you, Dan." Kyle replied, pointing to the face that was shown in the small picture, finding it difficult not to run his fingers across it as he looked at it lovingly.   
  
Dan blinked again, looking up from the photo to peer at Kyle in question. "Me?" He repeated, looking back down to look at the photo once more.   
  
Kyle nodded, sitting up from the couch and taking Dan by the wrist again, leading him down the hallway and into the bathroom, stopping in front of the large mirror that hung above the sink.   
  
Kyle drew Dan closer to him, letting go of his wrist and instead resting his hands on both of his shoulders, turning Dan so that he faced the mirror as Kyle stood behind him.   
  
"See?" Kyle cooed, pointing at the face that stared back at him through the reflection as he held Dan in place while he watched.   
  
Dan was mesmerized by himself, stepping as close to the mirror as he possibly could to get a better look, nose almost touching the glass as he gazed into his own eyes. He traced a finger along the face in the mirror, then along his own, surprising himself at the soft feeling of his own skin, then the rough texture of the light stubble along his chin.   
  
He ran a hand through his flat, dead hair, frowning at how dry and lifeless it felt, then at his eyes, startling himself at how empty they looked compared to Kyle's. Why were they white? Was he sick? They were so blue in the photos before, what happened? He'd wished he'd looked in a mirror sooner, perhaps then he would've least tried to make himself look presentable before he was stolen away, and by such handsome men, at that.

  
"This is... me?" Dan asked, pointing at the face and looking back at Kyle, disappointment in his voice as he spoke.    
  
Dan couldn't stay sad for long, for despite all the flaws he saw, the look in Kyle's eyes as he looked at him wiped them all away.

  
Kyle smiled down at him, running his hands down Dan's shoulders reassuringly, making him flinch at the contact but quickly melt into it as he went on. "This is you." He confirmed.    
  
This was his own face, his own body, his own life to live, could he truly bring himself to dislike such a beautiful thing?    
  
For the first time that he could remember, Dan smiled. It was clumsy and crooked and stiff, but he smiled, looking back into the mirror and admiring himself once more.    
  
"Me."    
  
\-----

  
"Do you know who this is?" Kyle asked again, holding yet another photograph to Dan's face, attempting to get a reaction out of him.   
  
"Its... me." Dan replied, gazing into the photograph of a younger version of himself, dressed in a graduation gown and cap, holding a rolled diploma and smiling proudly.    
  
Kyle nodded, grinning at the new gain in his lover's memory. "Do you remember this?" He continued, pushing the framed photo closer to him.    
  
"No." He frowned, sad eyes looking up at Kyle, taking the photograph from him and setting it down on the coffee table beside them, looking back at the frown that also formed on Kyle's face. "I'm sorr — "   
  
"What about this one?" Kyle interrupted, shoving another photo of him and Dan together, laying on the same couch they sat on now, holding each other with million dollar smiles on both of their faces.

  
"No." Dan repeated, throat tightening as he looked at the picture. "I'm sorry—"  
  
"This one?" Kyle interrupted again, voice cracking as tears pricked at his eyes, holding another photo of them together. Then another, and another, hands shaking as he picked more out and held them in front of Dan.  
  
"No. I—" Dan tried to stop him from hurting himself further, but Kyle was too far gone to let him.   
  
"This one?" He continued asking, tears starting to fall the more he went on.   
  
"No! I'm s—" Dan pleaded, trying to get apology after apology to leave his lips before he was interrupted again.   
  
"This one?!" Kyle didn't care about what Dan had to say anymore, but he found it difficult for himself to stop anyway, hands moving blindly across the piles of photos, some slipping out of his fingers quicker than he could hold them up, sliding onto the floor beside him.   
  
_"No!"_ Dan practically had to scream to get Kyle to stop, grabbing his wrists and shaking the photos out of his hands to bring him back to reality  
  
"I'm sorry." He finally managed to say, hanging his head as he spoke, quietly this time around in an attempt to calm Kyle down.   
  
Kyle's brows furrowed, gently tugging Dan's hands off of his wrists and rising from the couch, walking over to the sliding door next to them, opening it and stepping out onto the balcony, leaning over the ledge to stare out into the empty city around them.   
  
Dan let out a sigh, letting his body fall back onto the couch, staring around the room, then at the scattered pictures along the floor, focusing intently on them as if it would help him remember whatever there was to remember.   
  
When that didn't work, he let out a grunt of frustration, throwing them out of his grip and looking back around the room to take his mind off of it all and focus on something different.   
  
Dan's ears perked up at the sound of a static filled voice in the distance, eyes finding that it came from the radio sitting on the small kitchen table in the corner across from him.   
  
Dan sat up, focusing harder on the voice to make out what it spoke.   
  
_"And now a special tribute in memory of the lead singer of Bastille, Daniel Smith. We're with you, Dan. Wherever you are."_   
  
Dan's eyes widened upon hearing his name. With him? Wherever he was? What did they mean by that? He was right here! Did something happen? Was he…?  
  
Dan was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of a singer that sounded much like himself begin to play on the radio, repeating the same sounds over and over again.   
  
_Eh eh oh, eh oh. Eh eh oh, eh oh. Eh eh oh, eh oh. Eh eh oh, eh oh._   
  
Dan rose from the couch, quickly striding over to the table and picking the device off of it and pressing it to his ear. He recognized the voice. It was him, and he recognized the song as well. Slowly, in a monotone voice, Dan began to sing along.  
  
_"Eh eh oh, eh oh. Eh eh oh, eh oh. Eh eh oh, eh oh. Eh eh oh, eh oh."_ _  
_  
Kyle heard the lifeless voice echoing the words from inside the apartment, eyes widening and a toothy smile lighting up his face as he ran back inside and began to behold the sight before him. 

  
There Dan stood with the radio pressed to his cheek, swaying stiffly back and forth and muttering the tune over and over again long after the song had finished, this time in a crooked, out of tune melody, attempting to sound like the voice he once had. 

  
Kyle laughed, taking Dan by the hand and spinning him around, showing him how he used to dance, jumping up and down as Dan hesitantly followed, quickly catching on and jumping around with him, singing the tune louder as they went.    
  
Kyle sang along with him, singing it on key and having Dan repeat after him as they danced around the room, a smile growing on Dan's face as he sang, this time in tune with Kyle as they sang together.    
  
_ "Eh eh oh, eh oh! Eh eh oh, eh oh! Eh eh oh, eh oh! Eh eh oh, eh _ _ — _ _ "  _ _  
_   
Kyle laughed in excitement, picking Dan up and spinning him around in his arms, holding him close and planting a kiss on the side of his cheek.    
  
Dan's eyes widened, colour rising to his face for the first time in months and spreading across his cheeks as he looked back at Kyle.    
  
"Oh."    
  
"... Oh." Kyle repeated, setting Dan back onto the floor and taking a step back, raising his hands, trying not to frighten him.    
  
"Dan, I'm sorry. I forgot — "    
  
Before Kyle could finish, Dan stepped closer, grabbing Kyle by the collar of his shirt and pulling him into a searing kiss.    
  
Dan wasn't sure why he did it, nor was Kyle, but to Dan, it just felt like the right thing to do in the moment, like his body had remembered before his mind did.    
  
Kyle let out a yelp as he was pulled into it, not sure how to react at first. After a few seconds of chasing after his mind, Kyle kissed him back, hands resting against the shorter man's hips and drawing him closer as Dan moaned lightly in response.    
  
_ So it was the music. _ Kyle smiled into the kiss, knowing what he had to do know, what he could do to get him back.   
  
He pulled away to look at Dan, noting the confusion in his eyes as he did so. Kyle cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck and taking a step back with a light smile. 

  
"Come on, I've got some songs for you to listen to."    
  
  
\-----

 

"Okay. So," Kyle started, sitting Dan down onto one of the chairs pulled into the kitchen table as he sat on the other side, tinkering with the radio and turning the dial towards the channel to what used to be his favourite station.    
  
A faint tune came into focus, playing an old song, one from before the world went to shit. Dan focused on the song, listening intently. "How about this one?" He asked.    
  
"... Yes." Dan replied, closing his eyes and swaying to the tune, smiling lightly and humming along to it.   
  
Kyle grinned excitedly, taking Dan by both hands and looking into his eyes, noticing a small dot of blue forming onto the left iris, then another on the right.    
  
Kyle felt himself tear up for the fifth time today, wiping the tears from his eyes and smiling back at Dan. "What do you remember about this song?" He asked.    
  
"... Happy." Dan started, moving closer to the radio and squeezing Kyle's hand gently. "With you."    
  
Kyle felt the tears fall again, quickly wiping them away as he breathed a sigh of relief, he was still in there, and he could get him back. Just a few more songs.    
  
_ But first, a change of clothes. _ Kyle mentally slapped himself for letting Dan wear that jumpsuit for so long, how the hell was he going to remember with that thing still on his body?    
  
Kyle took him by the wrist again, leading him into his bedroom and opening his closet, letting Dan take a look inside.    
  
"Pick out some clothes, whatever ones you like, ones that help you remember."    
  
Dan gazed around the closet, flipping through Kyle's and supposedly some of his own shirts, if the size difference was any indication. He decided in on a simple white t-shirt that belonged to Kyle, he'd assumed, given it was just a bit too big for it to be his, as well as his own pair of black skinny jeans and a belt. It seemed as though he and Kyle had shared a room, as well as some of their clothes. 

 

_ And… a bed? _ Dan felt his cheeks burn as he rested his gaze upon the lone bed in the room, intrusive thoughts flooding his mind faster than he could catch them. 

 

Kyle left the room to let him change, smiling to himself upon seeing him pick out one of his shirts. He walked back into the kitchen to pick up the radio and bring it outside the bedroom door. Once finished, Dan opened the door, letting Kyle back inside.   
  
Kyle took a moment to look at him, eyeing him up and down to fully take in the sight. He wore the white t-shirt loosely, letting the fabric sway about as he moved atop the black skinny jeans he wore underneath, along with the belt fastened near the first notch, the rest of the leather tucked away into his pocket to prevent it from dangling at his side, seemingly forgetting to put on socks before he’d finished.    
  
Kyle laughed, enjoying the familiar view right down to the tucked belt before walking over to their shared bed, radio in hand, setting it down on the night table beside it and patting the sheets, signalling for Dan to sit with him.     
  
Dan followed, sitting next to Kyle and looking up at him, smiling.    
  
Kyle smiled back, taking the radio in his hands and opening up a compartment, sliding in a cassette they'd come upon in an old library together and danced to it between the shelves. Kyle sighed, things were simpler before Dan was taken from him. Before he —   
  
Kyle shook the thought from his mind, Dan was here, with him, right now. And he was going to get him back.  _ All _ of him. Kyle closed the compartment, hitting the play button atop of the radio and letting Dan listen. "Do you remember this?"   
  
Dan laughed gently, taking Kyle's hand and lifting him off of the bed, pulling him close as he nuzzled his nose into Kyle's neck and swaying the two of them back and forth. "Yes." He said, looking up into Kyle's eyes. "I remember dancing with you." He continued, more blue dots lighting up into his eyes, some freckles making their way across his cheeks, as well.    
  
"And how did you feel?" Kyle asked, bringing his forehead against Dan's, closing his eyes as they swayed.    
  
"Safe." He replied, pressing a light kiss against Kyle's lips, pulling away from their dance to sit back down, eager to remember more.    
  
Kyle complied, sitting back onto the bed to play another tape, one that had been thrown at them by a fan onto their rusted up stage during one of their concerts. Kyle hit play once more, letting him listen again. "And this?"   
  
Dan hummed along to the song, tapping his fingers along his thigh, creating a beat. "Yes. He repeated. "I remember playing with you."    
  
"And how did that make you feel?" Kyle asked again, leaning closer to Dan, returning the kiss given to him earlier.    
  
"Fucking unstoppable." Dan replied with a triumphant laugh, more blue painting itself across the white canvas of his eyes and freckles across his face, taking Kyle's hand in his own, squeezing it tightly.    
  
Kyle grinned, squeezing back before taking the last tape, the most recent one, found in the apartment that now served at their base. He popped it in and hit play for the last time, gazing back at Dan and awaiting a response. "And this?"   
  
Dan's head shot up, eyes locking onto his, a deep red covering his face as he listened to the tune, finding it difficult to catch his breath.    
  
"Yes." He croaked out, swallowing roughly as a familiar feeling spread throughout his body. "I remember being with you, we were — " Dan shied away, unable to finish the sentence.    
  
"And how does that make you feel?" Kyle asked him,  _ him _ . Not who he used to be,  _ him.  _

  
Dan looked up at Kyle with lidded eyes, pushing Kyle back onto the bed and climbing atop him, pinning his arms above his head before he replied.    
  
"Let me show you." Was all he said, leaning down to whisper in his ear before pulling Kyle into a deep kiss.    
  
\-----

 

Dan awoke with a start, flinching at the odd sensation at his neck and the light sting down below.   
  
He winced at the feeling, but quickly melted into the light feel of what he assumed were Kyle's lips at his neck, kissing him awake.    
  
"Mn." Was all he spoke, leaning back into the kisses and draping an arm around Kyle's head, turning his head to face him and planting a kiss of his own.    
  
"’Morning." Kyle smiled, voice still groggy from sleep as he kissed Dan back, threading his fingers through his hair.   
  
" _ Mmmning _ ..." Dan mumbled, stretching lightly and taking hold of Kyle's free hand, pressing another kiss to his knuckles.    
  
The two lay there in each others warmth, heating and air conditioning long gone after what the group deemed the apocalypse. Kyle looked forward for the weather to get colder, using it as an excuse to get as close to Dan as possible.    
  
Dan took Kyle's face in his hands and turned him towards his own, showing him what he'd done, what he'd helped him recover, how much it meant to him, however small. 

  
Kyle looked into Dan's eyes, tearing up at the sight of them now speckled blue against the white irised canvas. Every freckle he could remember and then some lit up his cheeks, along with his shoulders and arms, his lips now a faded pink rather than a pale and lifeless tint, the white streaks in his hair now faded to a dull grey.    
  
"You look beautiful." He purred, tracing a finger along Dan's jaw.    
  
"I believe you." He replied, a warm smile playing on his face as he gazed lovingly into Kyle's eyes, placing a kiss atop his head.    
  


"Feel alright?" Kyle asked, another kiss making it's way to Dan's cheek, making him purr in response.    
  
"Something to dull the pain would be nice." He whined, shifting his body with a hiss.

  
"Mm. I’ve got something that can dull it for you." Kyle winked, moving in to kiss at Dan's neck once more, making the older man giggle and playfully shove him away.    
  
“Does it come in pill form?” Dan quirked, huffing out a laugh as Kyle rolled his eyes before sliding himself out of their bed and over to the connecting bathroom. He reemerged after a few short moments, a glass of water in one hand and a small capsule in the other, handing both over to the ex agent, who smiled appreciatively in return.

 

"Thank you." Was all he said, quickly downing the pill with with a mouthful of water and laying himself back down on Kyle’s chest still half awake and clearly wanting to go back to sleep.    
  
His stomach, however, had other plans, growling loudly as Dan looked down at it, clearly embarrassed at the volume.    
  
Kyle let out a small laugh, playfully patting at his lover's stomach. "Thank me later." He teased, returning the kiss. "But first, breakfast."    
  
\-----

  
"So, how long has it been since you've eaten, exactly?" Kyle asked Dan, who sat at the chipped dinner table, watching him as he cooked the two of them breakfast.   
  
"I'm not sure. I barely remember anything past escaping with Will, or even why WWCOMMS is such a bad place to everyone outside. I'm sure I used to know the answer to that one, but not anymore." Dan spoke sadly, fiddling with the dinner fork in his hands and pulling at the teeth.    
  
"What  _ do _ you remember of that place?" Kyle prodded again, hoping for a more detailed answer. They got Dan back, sure, but there were others too, and they’d need a hell of a lot more intel if they were to go back in, especially after sending one of their ex agents into their base to get him and him alone. They knew who they were now, and they needed a new plan, a new approach. 

  
"I just remember white. White walls, white eyes, white clothes, it strained my eyes the more I looked at it. I was afraid, but I don't know why. There was a man. He wasn't like the others.He wore black. That frightened me more than anything else." Dan started, long pauses after each sentence, obvious that he didn't want to talk about it. But he knew that he had to, if it meant he'd be helping. It was the least he could do, after everything Kyle and the others had done for him. 

  
"And then?" Kyle spoke softly, guiding him through it all, whisking away at a large bowl of mixed ingredients.    
  
"Red. So much red. Then black. Then white again — but it didn't hurt, I didn't feel it stinging my eyes, I didn't feel anything." Kyle flinched as Dan spoke, realizing just what he was telling him. Was he even human anymore? Just how much of his past self was replaced?  _ It didn't matter anymore, _ he tried convincing himself, that he was right here, robot or not, some part of him was still here. He tried telling himself that.  _ Tried.  _ _  
_   
Dan felt himself tear up as he told Kyle, though he wasn't sure why, his body acting ahead of his mind once again. It frustrated him, forgetting so much about his past and what happened before he didn't remember, like he was a shell. "Am I going to be like this forever?" He looked at Kyle, fear showing in his eyes for the first time since they reunited. Kyle hated seeing him like that, he wished he'd forgotten what it felt like; to be helpless. He could barely bring himself to look at him. But he felt himself soften at the words. He still felt fear, felt love,  _ felt _ . He was still human, metal or not.

 

“No. I won't let you. I won't let them." His teeth clench clenched, fingers holding the whisk tight enough to turn his knuckles white. He'd make those bastards pay, and he'd get Dan's memory back, and he'd get everyone else back, too. He was going to make everything right again, he’d make sure of it. 

  
Kyle felt two arms wrap themselves around his waist, turning his head slightly to catch Dan burying his face into the back of his shirt from the corner of his eye. Kyle leaned into his touch, reaching behind him to take Dan by the hand and lace his fingers between his own. "I love you." Kyle admitted silently, rubbing his thumb over the back of Dan's knuckles.   
  
"I know. Even if I don't know much else." Dan laughed, pressing a kiss to the back of Kyle's neck before sighing into his shoulder. "I think I love you, too."   
  
_They'd be alright,_ Kyle thought.  
  
_They'd be alright._   
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hi again! So this is one of my older works, but since my first fic got such positive review I figured id try fixing this one up and posting it here as well! It's quite different from my current style, but I loved looking back on it and I love the whole WWCOMMS au even more, so here it is??? I guess?? Either way, I'd love to hear your feedback on it, and I've got a few more fics involved with this au as well, so I'd love to know what you all think on it. Enjoy <3
> 
> I'd also like to add a HUUUUGE thank you for the following artists who have taken time out of their day to create fan art for this fic 
> 
> Mitch (https://twitter.com/dxmn_smith/status/902011220315832320)
> 
> Nenne (https://twitter.com/thoseseconds/status/901409018924683264)
> 
> Thank you so so so much, you are all my inspirations, and to see that ive inspired you as well in whatever small way it may be is what keeps me inspired myself. Im eternally grateful to you all. These artists deserve just as much love as this fic, if not a thousand times more, check them out, you wont be disappointed <3


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